Given your budget, the size of gun you want, and the considerations about cost of ammo folks have raised, have you considered a 9mm 1911, like the Para LTC?
http://www.para-usa.com/new/product_pistol.php?id=72
Don't discount the difference in cost of ammo. Reloading, they are pretty much the same. Storebought, 9mm here is $10-$15 per 50 for range ammo, .45 is running $18-$24.